Knife for use in wells



Se t; 16, -1930. F. u. HINDERLITER KNIFE FOR USE IN WELLS Filed Oct. 22, 1928 WIII MW/l hh (Mi v f F! [1% fig Iii I Patented Sept. 16, 1 930 PATENT OFFICE FRANK J/HINDERLITER, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA KNIFE FOR USE IN WELLS Application filed'Oc'tober 22, 1928.

This invention relates to a knife for use in oil wells or the like and more particularly to a wire line knife adapted to be used to cut a drilling line in a well.

An object of this invention is to provide a wire line cutter adapted to be lowered into a well with facility and including means for initially compressing the line at the place where it is to be out prior to the actual cutting operation and thereafter severing the line at this compressed portion.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a wire line knife adapted to be lowered in a well and including means whereby it can be frictionally anchored to the well casing in any position to which it is lowered.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

Un the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation taken through a well casing and showing my novel wire cutter, as well as the means for lowering the same in the well.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through my novel cutter and illustrating the arrangement of the cuta ter blades therein.

' Figure 3 isa sectional view taken on substantially the line IIIIII of Figure 2 and showing in detail the frictional means used to hold up the lowermost cutter blade during the lowering of the cutter in the well.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on substantially the line IV-IV of Figure 2 looking downwardly.

Figure 5 is another elevation of my novel cutter when it is in a well casing and illustrates one form of frictional means which may be employed in connection with the cutter to anchor the same to the casing.

Figure 6 is a view of a modification of my invention partly in section illustrating an- Serial No. 314,061.

other form of frictional means for anchoring the knife to the well casing wall.

As shown on the drawings:

The knife or cutter of my invention is designated generally in Figure 1 by the reference character 10. It is lowered into a well casing 11 by the means of a sand line 12 connected to the upper end of the knife or cutter by means of a sinker 13 of conventional construction and a jar 14: which may be of the fishing type. Since the sinker 13 and the jars 14 are of conventional construction, it is not believed to be necessary to describe in detail these constructions.

The knife or cutter 10 comprises a body 15 provided with an eccentric portion 16 to which the sand line 12 is connected and a pair of spaced lateral ears 1717. This knife body is slid downwardly over the wire or drilling line 18 to be cut; the line extending between the two spaced ears 17-17.

Connected to the lower portions of the ears 17-17 are a pair of parallel pins 19 and 20 upon which cutter blades 21 and 22 are pivotally mounted. The upper blade 21 may be referred to as the shorter or wedging blade and the lower blade 22 may be referred to as the longer and cutting blade. That is to say it is the lower blade 22 which actually completes the cutting of the line 18. The upper blade 21 has a beveled edge 23 designed for wedging engagement with the portion of the line at the place the line is to be cut and the lower blade 22 is provided with a chisel-like point or edge 24 for effecting the cutting of the line at the place the line is compressed or wedged by the shorter blade 21.

The upper or shorter blade 21 is at all times urged into cooperation with the lower blade 22 through the means of a spring 25 the lower end of which abuts the upper edge of the blade 21 and the upper end of which encircles a stud 26 secured to a block 27 which is in turn anchored to the ears 1717 of the knife body 15.

The lower or longer blade 22 is designed to be frictionally engaged by a ball 28 disposed in an opening 29 in one of the ears 17 The outer end of the opening is provided with a closure plug 30. Positioned between 6o I orjforces the lower knife blade 22 into {cos the ball 28 the vclosure plug 30is a spring" 31 which at all times functions to I urge the ball 28 into frictional engagement with a side ofthe cutter blade 22. This ball serves to hold up thecutter, blades 22 and 21'durin'gthe lowering of the knife or cutter in thewell cas ng 11."

I "'tional plates 35 -35 forofrictionally -anchor in'gthe knife to thewell casing: Each of l The knife body is proVided Ew-ith 'lric- 7 these plates 35 has itsend's" lo'oselyconnected to one of the ears 17 of the bodyiby means ofbolts 36. In otherwords, each plate 35' is loosely mounted on the shanks of the bolts I o i i the springs 87' into engagement with the 36'.36. The plates3f are each urged. out- Wardly by springsr'g7 37 positioned between the associated "earsf17 ofthe body and-an ofiiset portion 318 offthe plate; It'will be i need fa Fis e; bus u i s 3E} curved seas to'conform with the inner surface of :the well" casing 11. Eachof Y the prings 37: isim0u nted in fareces's'gi') i'fornied' v 111 the associatedearl'fi From Figure 5 it will be evidentthat the plates r,. 35are urgedin opposite directions nner surface of the casing "11; 1 2 These plates function to at all times frictionally anclier thelknife'body to the wellfcasing; 'I Inother y'vords', the knife is raised in thelwel-l casinggitispreyentedfrom fallingbacl: to its 's tartingpositi'on by these frictional elements lates' 35' which anchoixthebody to the;

I inner surface of the casing.

V u e Ihave illustrated an alternati ve form "of frictionalmeans for anchoring the body 15" the well casing'll; In this modification'of my invention the plates z '35" donotreqiiire' springs sincejthey arethemselvesjinherentlj resi'lienti Gnlj/ one" end of each ofthese plates :35" anchored'to ail-ear I 17 of thejb'ody 15'." These plates 35engage the inn'er surface ofthe casing 11in the same i anne'r asit'he plates 35 and perform the'same purpose astliese latter plates.

,jf 'Th Operation ofmy novel cutter or knife is briefly as follows.v The cutter or knife 10 ismountedf on 'theidrilling line 18 to be cut and is thereafterlowered in the-well casing 11*to the place in which the linej l 8f is to be cut.' Thereafter the jars l iarei operated by the sand line 12} connected to the knife or c tte -:10. j

The upward jerk exerted u'pontheflknife oricutter bythe jars 14; causes'the beveled edge the upper cutter blade 21 to be wedged I .int'oengagement with the portion of the'line l8 cut, "thus'compressing said portion. At the same time thatthis coinpressingace tion is taking place the cutter blade 21 wedges operation with the'line' '18" until the chiseledge 24 of this lower blade becomes ellective'to complete the cutting of the line at thefcompressed portion. In otherwords the upper blade 21 will wedge the lower blade down wardly until it reaches the dotted position 1 shown in Figure 2 at which timethe compressed portion of the wire line 18 will have been completely severed by the latter blade 'Attention" is directed-t0 the fact that the knife is prevented froinyfallingin; the well casing duringthe-upward or return-stroke.

of thejar 14- through thefactien ol' the'frictional -plates35 engag1ng the inner surface;

of the well casing llJfTllis is a desirablefea-i tureionthekreasonthat itenables the blades action becomes effective to urge them into still tighter engagement w thfthe line 18..

vto beheldiin thewedge'position to'which they} are forced orjarred uutiithe next jarring .j I

New I de'sireit understood that although I I have illustrated and described 'inYQetail: a the preferred embodiment otiny invention," the invention-is not to be thus" limited; but

onlyin {so 'faras defined by the scope and' spirit'of theappended claims A I claim as my invention} 1; In coinbination'in a wireline cuttera V to have thewirelineenten'd therethrough a cutter blade associated 'rwith sai'd body in" bodydesigned to be lowered in 'a' well and such a'wayas to be inactive duringthe-lowe oring of the cutter in thewelhsaid bladebe 7 ing arranged "to be wedged into cuttingengagement withfa portion cl'the line at the i place the line istobecut upon'the cutter'rb'e 1 ing pulled V upwardly in the well? and a .sec- 0nd cutterblade positioned above said first] cutter time 1 for 'Icontemporaneouslys "wedge ing the line and urging the firstblade into; cuttlng engagement,with said-portion of the v V i 2., In combination inya; wire. line cutter l bodydesigned to be lowered inaw'eu and to have the wire linev extend therethrough, a cutter bladepiv'otally attached to said body in such a way as to bejinactive during the lowering of the cutter in the well, said blade s i being arrangedto bet-wedged into cutting engagement with aportion of the line at the 1 place the line is to bejcutupon the cutter be- I the line, said second blade havethe wire-line eXtend therethrough, a

cutter blade associated with said body insuch 1 r a way as to be inactive? duringjthe lowering ofthe'cutter 1n the well; saidrblade being arrangedto be wedged into CuttingYengageQ means arranged teen gage said cutter blade for holding up said cutter blade -during the tm 'ent witha portion of 'th'e lineat'the place the line is to be out upon the cutter being pulled upwardlyin'the well; and frictional lowering operation and arranged to become inefiective upon the bringing of said cutter blade into cutting engagement with said portion of the line.

4. In combination in a wire line cutter a body designed to be lowered in a well and to have the wire line extend therethrough, a cutter blade pivotally attached to said body in such a way as to be inactive during the lowering of the cutter in the well, said blade being arranged to be wedged into cutting engagement'with a portion of the line at the place the line is to be out upon the cutter being pulled upwardly in the well and frictional means for holding up said cutter blade during the lowering operation and arranged to become ineffective upon the bringing of said cutter blade into cutting engagement with said line, said frictional means comprising an element mounted in the body and resiliently urged outwardly into engagement with the cutter blade.

5. In combination in a wire line cutter a body designed to be lowered in a well and to have the wire line extend therethrough, a cutter blade pivotally attached to said body in such a way as to be inactive during the lowering of the cutter in the well, said blade being arranged to be wedged into cutting engagement with a portion of the line at the place the line is to be out upon the cutter being pulled upwardly in the well, a second cutter blade contacting with said first blade for contemporaneously wedging the line and urging the first blade into cutting engagement with said portion of the line, and means resiliently urging said second blade in engagement with said first blade.

6. In combination in a wire line cutter adapted to be lowered in a well casing, a body formed to have the line to be cut extend therethrough, a cutter blade connected to said body and means pivotally mounted above and engaging with said blade for compressing a portion of the line at the place the line is to be cut and for wedging said cutter blade into cutting engagement with said compressed portion.

7 In combination in a wire line cutter adapted to be lowered in a well casing, a body formed to have the line to be cut ext-end therethrough, a cutter blade connected to said body and means pivotally mounted above said blade for engagement with said blade for compressing a portion of the line at the place the line is to be cut and for wedging said cutter blade into cutting engagement with said compressed portion, said means comprising an element pivotally connected to the body above said blade and resiliently urged into engagement with the blade.

8. In combination in a wire line cutter adapted to be lowered in a wall casing, means for initially compressing a portion of the line to be cut and a knife for thereafter cutting said line at said compressed portion, said means being positioned above said knife and being arranged to engage said knife and line upon an upward pull being exerted on the cutter.

9. In combination, in a cable cutter adapted to be lowered in a well casing, a blade for compressing a portion of the cable to be cut, and a second blade for cutting the cable at the compressed portion, said first blade being mounted above said second blade and arranged to be pressed into frictional engagement with said second blade for causing the latter blade to cut the cable.

10. In combination, in a cable cutter adapted to be lowered in a well casing, a body formed to have a cable to be cut extend therethrough, and a plurality of blades connected to said body, one of said blades being mounted above said other blade and arranged to compress a portion of the cable, said first blade also engaging said latter blade to wedge said latter blade against the cable to cut the latter at the compressed portion thereof.

11. In combination, in a cable cutter adapted to be lowered in a well casing, a body formed to have a cable to be cut extend therethrough, a cutter blade connected to said body, and a second blade engaging with said cutter blade for contemporaneously compressing a portion of the cable to be cut and for wedging said cutter blade into cutting engagement with said compressed portion.

12. In combination, in a cable cutter adapted to be lowered in a well casing, a body formed to have the cable to be cut extend therethrough, means connected to said body for compressing and cutting said cable, said means comprising a plurality of blades pivotally mounted one above the other in said body, said blades being arranged for engagement with each other to cut the cable, and means on said body outwardly movable for frictionally engaging the well casing at the place where the cable is to be cut.

13. In combination, in a cable cutter adapted to be lowered in a well casing, a body formed to have the cable to be cut extend therethrough, a cutting blade connected to said body for cutting said cable, and a second blade pivotally mounted above and frictionally engaging with said first cutting blade and arranged in such a manner as to contemporaneously compress a portion of said cable and to wedge said first cutting blade against the compressed portion of the cable to cut the same.

14. In combination, in a line cutter adapted to be lowered int-o a well casing, a body formed to have a line to be cut extending therethrough, a plurality of blades pivotally connected to said body and positioned on one side of the line, said blades being mounted one above the other so that the upper of said 

